Feasibility analysis of hydrogen fuel cell-powered passenger vessels: a multi-criteria and MILP-based analysis for sustainable inland navigation

With growing environmental concerns, decarbonizing the maritime sector and reducing emissions near ports and inland waterways are critical. Hydrogen fuel cells offer a zero-emission propulsion solution, particularly for smaller-scale applications, with high efficiency. Firstly, the study conducts a multi-criteria feasibility analysis that compares different energy systems and fuels to identify the most suitable solution, considering daily ferry operations, propulsion power demands, economic feasibility, and other relevant factors. Secondly, an optimization algorithm has been designed to determine the optimal combination of technologies to be implemented on board. A piecewise linearization method is used to address the nonlinearity. The case study is a passenger ferry operating in short-sea navigation on Como Lake, Italy. The first analysis indicates that the PEMFC-based solution can eliminate over 500 tons of CO 2 emissions per year compared with the ICE-MDO. The time-dependent analysis showed that the PEMFC-CH 2 +BES hybrid system reduces fuel consumption from 39.7 to 32.6 tons/year (−17 %), cutting fuel costs to about 198,920 $/year compared to the standalone PEMFC. Moreover, despite additional battery and charging costs of nearly 4500 $/year and 18,900 $/year, respectively, the overall annual cost decreases to nearly 353,500 $/year. The study provides a broadly applicable framework for improving energy efficiency and sustainability. Conclusion:Among the alternatives analysed, the PEMFC system powered by compressed hydrogen emerged as the most promising solution. This was attributed to its zero-emission performance, cost-effectiveness, and favorable weight and volume characteristics, reinforcing its position as the leading technology for sustainable marine energy systems. • The retrofitting of an inland water passenger vessel with hydrogen solutions is investigated. • A multi-criteria analysis is performed to compare PEMFC and CH2 with the conventional ICE solution. • PEMFC + CH2 shows promising results among the alternative solutions. • Time-dependent analysis to minimize annual costs is performed by YALMIP algorithm. • The combination of HELM software and the YALMIP optimization algorithm provides an optimum layout to cover the power demand.